Are there adverse reactions to the rabies vaccine?
There are no contraindications to post-exposure treatment. In the case of allergic reaction, alternative forms of the vaccine may be used. There is a failure rate of about one per million post-exposure treatments. Most of these have been associated with severe lesions at or near the head, or errors in administration of the treatment. With human diploid cell vaccines, pain, erythema and swelling or itching at the injection site occur among 30% 74% of patients. Systemic reactions involving headache, nausea, abdominal pain, muscle aches or dizziness occur in 5% 40% of vaccinees, and allergic oedema in 0.1%. Systemic allergic reactions characterized by generalized urticaria accompanied in some cases by arthralgia, angiooedema, fever, nausea and vomiting have been reported in up to 6% of persons receiving a booster dose, with onset after 2 21 days. Purified Vero cell rabies vaccine produces local and general reaction in 10.6% of patients and complaints of mild to moderate reactions in 7%. L
